Shelf-forming carton



Oct- 10, 1967 R. L. PROPST 3,346,313

SHELF-FORMING CARTON Filed June 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l United StatesPatent C) 3,346,318 SHELF-FORMJNG CARTON Robert L. Propst, Ann Arbor,Mich., assignor to Herman Miller, Inc., Zeeland, Mich., a corporation ofMichigan Filed June 8, 1966, Ser. No. 556,008 9 Claims. (Cl. S12-330)ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A shelf-forming carton shippable as a sealedcontainer having a top, bottom, rear face, front face and two spacedends. 'Ihe top, bottom, ends and rear face are closed and the front faceis provided with removable access panels wherethrough access is gainedto the interior of the carton after arrival at the use situs. A runnerelement, preferably foldable, is positioned on the exterior surface ofeach of the ends and extends outwardly therefrom when in workingposition. The runner elements are received by grooves in the facingsides of a suitable support cabinet. The construction of the carton issuch that the goods packaged therein will be supported thereby when thecarton is suspended in shelf-like fashion across the cabinet from therunner members only. After the carton has been slid into the cabinet atthe use situs, the front access members are removed and .access had tothe carton without sliding it in and out of the support cabinet.

Background This invention relates to packaging, and more particularly,to a carton embodying means whereby it may be suspended within areceiving framework in shelf-like fashion.

In many modern enterprises and public institutions, much emphasis isaccorded to the disposability of personal objects such as towels,bedding, wash cloths and the like after they have been used. Thisemphasis has been prompted primarily by the high labor costs incurred inlaundering and sterilizing these articles for reuse when they arefabricated from relatively permanent materials such as cotton. Theemphasis additionally has been prompted Iparticularly in hospitals by adesire to maintain the sterility of the entire premises at a relativelyhigh level.

Currently, disposable paper products are being extensively utilized.Disposable sheets, wash cloths, towels and the like, which may be burnedafter they have been used, are now being marketed. Although theavailability of these products has greatly increased the over-allsterility and reduced the overhead of the businesses concerned, severalsignificant problems remain to be solved.

While the introduction of disposable materials has significantlyimproved sanitation and reduced labor costs, much improvement remainspossible. This invention is directed at such an improvement. It providesa shipping carton which not only protects the articles during shipmentand keeps them sterile until they reach the point of use but alsoprovides a means of storing them until required.

Conventional practice requires these articles, when received, to beremoved from their package and stored ori shelves or in drawers. In atypical hospital this is done in the linen room. The articles are thenwithdrawn from the shelves as needed. This arrangement is both laborconsuming and wasteful of space.

Objects and ,specicaton This invention eliminates this by disposing ofthe shelves. The sealed packages, as received, are equipped with endflanges which form supporting runners. Using these runners the packagesas received are inserted in storage bays in the linen room in verticallytiered arrangement. The front of the package is opened and the contentsremoved as needed.

Since each package is independently supported, any package in a tier maybe removed or replaced without disturbing any other package. Thismaterially reduces the direct labor cost. The double handling requiredto unpack and store on shelves is eliminated. Periodic cleaning ofshelving is eliminated since the empty packages are destroyed.Maintenance of proper inventory is facilitated since it can beascertained by reading the labeling on the front of the package andcounting the number of packages. Counting of the individual articles isno longer necessary. The total quantity of articles which may -be storedin a given area is increased since, space previously occupied byshelving is made available for articles, the wall thickness of thepackages and the clearance between them being materially less than thatof a shelf.

Sanitation is improved since the articles are stored in their shippingcontainer unopened until needed. Even after use begins, these articleswhich are not used immediately, remain in the original container,enclosed on all sides except the access opening through the front. Thisaffords far more protection than storage on an open shelf.

Further, the packages can be racked on suitable carts equipped to handlethem like shelves and the articles transported to the point of use intheir original containers. This is far more sanitary than the openplatform type cart now -conventionally utilized. Also, it permits rapidloading since the articles are handled in groups while in their originalpackage rather than by one-by-one manual removal from the storageshelves.

These and other objects of this invention will be clearly understood byreference to the following speciiication and accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the shelf formingcontainers;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective sectional view illustrating onepossible mode of fabricating the wing-like structure integrally with thestorage container;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along the plane III--III ofFIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a plan View of the carton forming blank utilized in theconstruction showni n FIG. 2 after it has been scored but prior tofolding;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional, front-elevational View of the storageindicating the manner in which the wings may be folded against the endsfor shipping;

FIG. 6 is a front-elevational view of a typical supporting frameworkhaving a plurality of shelf forming cartons disposed therein;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front-elevational view of a modified nunner wingwithin a storage` cabinet;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front-elevational view of another \modifredrunner wing and its attendant supporting structure;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary View illustrating a modified rack and retainingwing combination; and

FIG. ll is a fragmentary plan View of the carton forming blank utilizedin the wing construction shown in FIG. l0.

Briefly, the shelf-forming carton which is the subject of this inventioncomprises a package of sufficient structural rigidity to support thegoods placed therein when suspended from its ends only. A wing orrunner, which -rnay also conveniently serve as a handle, is either aixedto or formed integrally with each end of the package.

l Preferably, these wings are hingedly aixed to the package such thatthey may be folded against the ends thereof to reduce the over-alllength of the carton during transit.

When it is desired to store the cartons, they are inserted into astorage framework having a plurality of runner or wing-receiving groovesin opposite interior faces thereof. The wings on the cartons are slidinto these grooves and the carton is supported in shelf-like fashionthereby. When the carton has been emptied, it may be removed anddiscarded andv a new carton inserted in its place.

Referring now to the figures, a preferred embodiment of this inventionwill -be described in detail. FIGS. l through 5 illustrate thestructural details of the shelf forming-carton and a preferred methodfor fabricating it. A package section having a top panel 11, a frontpanel 12, a bottom panel 13, a bottom reinforcing tab 14, a back panel15, and end panel 16 has a pair of win-gs or runner elements 20positioned at either end thereof. The front panel 12 conveniently mayhave incorporated therein one or a plurality of conventional punch-outsubpanels 17 through which access is gained to the articles shipped andstored within package 10. The size, number and location of snap-outopenings 17 will depend, of course, on the particular types of articlesto be packaged within the carton 30.

The carton 30, which term includes the package 10 with its extendingrunner elements 20, may conveniently be fabricated as indicated in FIG.4. The ends 16 each consist of a pair of converging end panels 21, acover panel 22 having a wing-receiving slot 23 therein and a wingformingpanel 24. As shown in FIG. 4, wing-forming panel 24 has a neckeddownsection 25 therein with a series of conventional parallel -foldingscores 26 therealong.

To form the carton, the front panel 12, top 11 and back are folded alongthe score lines to form a rectangular tube of the configuration shown inFIG. 3. In so doing, the back panel 15 is aixed to bottom reinforcingtab 14 in any conventional manner such as by gluing or stapling.Converging end panels 21 are folded inwardly as indicated in FIG. 3 andthe necked down section 25 of the runner-forming panels 24 are foldedalong the score marks 26 to form runner elements 20. The runner-formingpanels 24 are :folded downwardly and cover panels 22 are foldedthereover such that the inner elements are received by and extendthrough runner element-receiving slots 23 on cover panels 22 (see FIG.2). Panels 21 and 22 are secured together in Iany conventional mannersuch as 'by 4gluing to complete the assembly of the carton 30. The sizeof runner element-receiving slots 23 is such that the two facingsections of the necked down area 25 will form a triangular solid having-a relatively horizontal bottorn section. Preferably, in this embodimentthe tabs 27 are not glued to the other side and end panels. Suchconstruction allows necked :down section 25 to oat above the lower edgeof slot 23 when wing 20 is folded to the position shown in FIG. 5 forshipping. After receival at the location for utilization of the goods,wings 20 may be returned to the position shown in FIG. 2. The width oftab 27 with respect to slot 23 prevents Ythe wing stnucture from pullingfree and allowing the container to fall from its storage cabinet.

While the loading of the carton is no part of this invention, by way ofillustration, the carton can be folded, wit-h one end closed and one endopen. The contents are then inserted through the open' end, the endclosed and sealed.

The Agauge of the berboard, cardboard or corrugated board utilized tofabricate carton 30 must be such that the finished product will Ibesufciently rigid to be supported in shelf-like fashion by each of therunners 20 when the package is fully loaded. That is to say, the package10 must be s'uiciently rigid that there is little and .preferably notendency for it to sag when completely lled and when supportedvertically only at Ithe wings or runners 20. While corrugated boardproducts have been found satisfactory for this purpose, it will bereadily appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other types ofmaterials may be substituted.

The integral construction of runner elements 20, as pointed outpreviously, allows them to be folded `against ends 16 during transit ofthe cartons 30 from the manufacturer to the rplace of use. ATheindividual cartons 30 will ordinarily be shipped to their destinationsin large boxes containing a number of such cartons. If runner elements20 are not capable of being folded against ends 16 of package 10, theshipping boxes will have to have a width suicient to accommodate cartons30 with their wings 20 in the horizontally extended position. This, ofcourse, results in a great deal of wasted space at each end of thecontainers when they are placed in their shipping boxes. Also, theindividual packages will not be firmly restrained within the largershipping container. In this regard, the construction shown in FIGS. 2,3, and 4 is particularly useful. FIG. 5 illustrates the runners 20folded for compact shipment. This folding, as previously noted, does notimpair the functional characteristics of the wings 20 when the ultimatedestination is reached. It is a hinge-like action which leavessuflicient rigid material outward of the joint to be effectively graspedby the runner receiving grooves.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 Iand 7, there is shown an openfaced storageIframework 40 having a top 41, sides 42, a back 43 and a bottom 44. Theopposite interior faces of sides 42 have a plurality of parallel runneror Wing-receiving ygrooves 45 and 45 formed therein. The framework 40,-for example, may be placed within a hospital room or Ward. It ispredesigned such that a plurality of different shelf-forming containers30a, 30b and 30e may be accommodated thereby. These containers may, forexample, contain disposable towels, wash cloths and sheets respectively.When a new patient enters that particular room, new shelf-formingcontainers 30 are placed into the framework which has previously beensterilized by merely lifting .them to their respective storage levelsand sliding the wings or runners 20 into left-hand runner-receivinggrooves 45 and right-hand runner-receiving grooves 46 as indicated inFIG. 6. The wings 20 function as ydrawer runners and the shelf-formingcontainer may be slid rearwardly until such time as its face is ilushwith the ,front of framework 40. With the device shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,there is little or no tendency for the runner elements 20 to separate orpull Ifrom rgrooves 45 and 46 lbecause of (l) the abutting or nearlyabutting relationship of the ends of the cartons and the opposinginterior faces of walls 42 and (2) the bearing strength of thetriangular wing arrangement within the retaining slots.

Punchout subpanels 17 are removed to allow access to the items containedwithin the storage containers. When a particular carton has beenemptied, in may be removed for burning by merely sliding its runners 20out of retaining grooves 45 and 46. A new container may then be insertedin its place by merely leveling wings 20 and sliding them into 4therunner-receiving grooves 45 and 46, Between patients, the inside offramework 40 may, if necessary, be disinfected easily by merely wipingthe relatively at surfaces thereof and the runner-receiving grooves 45and 46. Alternately, the entire framework may be removed and sterilizedat a central facility. The articles contained within cartons 30 arehandled only at the time they are removed for use and their containersare periodically disposed of. These two factors materially irnprove theconditions controlling sterility.

It will be recognized that by adding wheels to the framework 40 orplacing it on an yappropriate cart, it can be made into an eicient meansof transporting the articles through the hospital. The cart can be bulkloaded quickly at the central supply station. During movement around thehospital the articles are fully protected until the packages are openedand even then there is substantial protection for their contents. Thepackages keep the articles in neat order and accidental spillage isprevented.

More likely than storage in individual rooms is storage at central linenfacilities. In this case, the supports for the cartons can consist ofspaced panels with slots on each side. Such an arrangement is suggestedby the panels 100 in FIG. 10. No top, bottom or back is required-thepanels being hung on the wall. The panels can have slots to accommodatecartons of different heights and size and various articles will requiredifferent size packages as, for example, sheets and washcloths.

The wing and receiving slot structure shown in FIG. differs from thatpreviously described in that receiving slots 45 and 46' are considerablynarrower and the runner of wing is relatively flat rather thantriangular in cross section. The wing structure 20 may be fabricatedfrom a blank of the type shown in FIG. ll which is folded in a mannersimilar to that described in connection with FIG. 4. In this embodiment,however, the tab 27 is also glued to panel 22 such that the folded,necked-down section 25 protrudes from slot 23 in the relatively fiatconfiguration shown in FIG. 10. The bank shown in FIG. 1.1 differs fromthat shown in FIG. 4 only with regard to the reversed positioning of endpanels 22 and 24. As in FIGS. 1 through 5, wing 20 may be crushedagainst the sides of containers for shipping without damaging theirsupporting properties.

The runner and slot combination shown in FIGS. 10 atnd 11 affords littleor no tendency for the runner elements 20. The portion of element 20received by grooves 45 and 46 should be substantially greater than thewidth of the receiving groove. For example, the runner length ispreferably greater than twice the vertical height of the receivinggroove. Any tendency of the cartons to shift downwardly causes runners20 to wedge into their respective receiving grooves, thus checkingfurther downward movement of the carton.

In the event the goods contained in the cartons are unusually heavy, orthe paperboard utilized to fabricate them unusually light, the wedgingaction of the grooves 45 and 46 upon the wings 20 may be increased .asshown in FIG. 8 by inserting a wooden or metal rod or bar 51 on theinterior of the wing during fabrication of the container. Soconstructed, runner 50 will wedge into receiving groove 52 in a morepositive manner because this will decrease the clearance between thewings and the sides of the grooves, as indicated in FIG. 6.

Another mode for supporting the runners within the framework isindicated in FIG. 9. Here the construction of the carton is identical tothat previously described. In the supporting framework, however, thesupporting groove 61 is formed at an angle opening upwardly with respectto the horizontal. This mode of fabrication also increases the bearingcapabilites of the slidable connection by creating a positiveinterference and lock situation before the wings are downwardlyinclined. This reorganizes the forces acting on the fold line or thewings to make the weight of the package cooperate in retaining the wingsin the grooves.

Thus, it will be seen that this invention has provided a shelf-likedisposable carton which may be easily inserted into and removed from itssupporting structure. It cornbines both the shipping carton and thestorage shelf in a single disposable item.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention, along with several minormodifications thereof, has been illustrated in detail, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that a number of othermodifications of the structures disclosed herein are possible withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this invention. Suchmodifications are to be deemed as included in the hereinafter appendedclaims unless these claims, by their language, expressly stateotherwise.

I claim:

1. A storage unit comprising: a framework having a plurality of runnerreceiving grooves in opposite interior faces thereof; a plurality ofshelf-forming cartons having a width approximately equal to the distancebetween said opposite interior faces of said framework, each of saidcartons having a t-op, bottom, rear face, front face and two spacedends, said top, bottom, ends and rear face being closed, said front facebeing provided with access means wherethrough access may be gained tothe interior of said carton, said carton having sufhcient structuralrigidity to support the goods to 4be placed therein in shelf-likefashion when suspended from said ends only; and a runner elementpositioned on the exterior surface of each of said ends and extendingoutwardly therefrom, said runner elements adapted to act as runners andbe slidably received by said grooves whereby said cartons are slidablysuspended within said framework supported solely on said runnerelements, access being had to said carton through said front-face accessmeans when said carton has been so slidably suspended.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said grooves arehorizontal.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said grooves areinclined downwardly away from the ends of said carton and the portion ofeach of said runner elements received in a groove is a multiple of thevertical height of said groove.

4. A shelf-forming carton shippable as a sealed container comprising atop, bottom rear face, front face and two spaced ends, said top, bottom,ends and rear face being closed, said front face being provided withaccess means wherethrough access may be gained to the interior of saidcarton, said carton having suicient structural rigidity to support thegoods packaged therein in shelflike fashion when suspended from saidends only, and a runner element positioned on the exterior surface ofeach of said ends and extending outwardly therefrom, said runnerelements adapted to serve as runners and thus slidably support saidcarton when placed in a supporting frame, access `being had to saidcarton through said frontface access means when said carton has beenslid into supporting engagement with said frame.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein said carton is formedfrom a disposable paper product.

6. The shelf forming carton as set forth in claim 4 wherein said runnerelements are hingedly secured to said carton to fold generally parallelto said ends for reducing the over-all length of said carton duringshipment.

7. The shelf forming carton as set forth in claim 6 wherein said runnerelements are integral with said package.

8. The shelf forming carton as set forth in claim 7 wherein said runnerelements extend a substantial portion of the distance between the frontand back of said carton.

9. A shelf forming carton as set forth in claim 4 wherein a reinforcingstrip is secured to each of said runner elements to stiften said runneragainst cross sectional bending and to increase its cross sectionalthickness.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 864,761 8/ 1907 Erickson.2,125,813 8/1938 Roscoe S12-108 2,539,963 1/1951 Moberg 312-350 X2,625,456 1/ 1953 Rostau 312-107 2,676,080 4/ 1954 Stedman 312--261 X2,763,526 9/ 1956 Falek 312-270 2,811,404 10/ 1957 Brooks etal 312-2703,287,075 11/1966 Batke et al 312-108 DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, PrimaryExaminer. JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner.

1. A STORAGE UNIT COMPRISING: A FRAMEWORK HAVING A PLURALITY OF RUNNER RECEIVING GROOVES IN OPPOSITE INTERIOR FACES THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF SHELF-FORMING CARTONS HAVING A WIDTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID OPPOSITE INTERIOR FACES OF SAID FRAMEWORK, EACH OF SAID CARTONS HAVING A TOP, BOTTOM, REAR FACE, FRONT FACE AND TWO SPACED ENDS, SAID TOP, BOTTOM, ENDS AND REAR FACE BEING CLOSED, SAID FRONT FACE BEING PROVIDED WITH ACCESS MEANS WHERETHROUGH ACCESS MAY BE GAINED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CARTON, SAID CARTON HAVING SUFFICIENT STRUCTURAL RIGIDITY TO SUPPORT THE GOODS TO BE PLACED THEREIN IN SHELF-LIKE FASHION WHEN SUSPENDED FROM SAID ENDS ONLY; AND A RUNNER ELEMENT POSITIONED ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID ENDS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID RUNNER ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO ACT AS RUNNERS AND BE SLIDABLY RECEIVED BY SAID GROOVES WHEREBY SAID CARTONS ARE SLIDABLY SUSPENDED WITHIN SAID FRAMEWORK SUPPORTED SOLELY ON SAID RUNNER ELEMENTS, ACCESS BEING HAD TO SAID CARTON THROUGH SAID FRONT-FACE ACCESS MEANS WHEN SAID CARTON HAS BEEN SO SLIDABLY SUSPENDED. 